Burned

FIVE: Neva's replica

      Alazne took a deep breath. "You will think this is crazy, but promise me that this will be a secret. I mean, it means a lot to me but means nothing to you. In the end, you'll think I was just overreacting," Alazed gazed at me.

      We were taking small slow steps, the sun was about to set. The yellow sunlight turned to reddish golden. It was making us look radiant, more beautiful.

     I smiled consoling Alazne, "Hey! Everything that's 'very' important to you is at least a 'little' important for me, you are my friend. Your happiness matters to me. I won't end up laughing. Neither will I run around barking the things you said me."

     Her face looked a little relieved after my words. From the time we reached the beach, she was either upset or nervous.
"Okay here goes nothing, that means everything to me."

     "I had an elder sister, Neva. She was beautiful and 2 years elder to me. We quarreled a lot, like any other siblings. But we also cared, we almost stalked each other and knew each and every secret of one another."

     "She had a boyfriend, Ronit. It hurts to even say his name, motherfucker," Alazne fumed. Anger reflected clearly on her face. I was a little scared then. Alazne hadn't sweared around me every since I know her.

She continued, "Ronit and Neva were in relation for 3 years. They were doing good. He once said my sister that his mother wasn't well and asked her if she could help him financially and my sister, without giving second thoughts, agreed. She said Mom about it and Mom, after a little argument agreed."

     "She wanted him to return the money because he was asking a huge amount. It isn't that that much money mattered very much to my parents, but still giving away money just like that, wasn't right. After a month, Neva found out that it was all a lie. His mother's illness, need for money was all a lie. Ronit had just turned greedy after seeing our money."

     "Neva was furious, she tried to break up as he was obviously only using her and her money. Neva was a virgin, but Ronit had once forced her to send her nudes. He blackmailed Neva that he'll expose them, everywhere, every fucking place if she doesn't give him more money."

     "As I told you Dad's manager of a very reputed company, she was scared of him, 'what will the society say'. But she didn't want to betray us by giving our money to a devil like that.

     She was confused and the worst part, when Ronit started forcing her, she decided to put an end to everything. End to that game, end to that 'relationship', end to money, blackmails, shame, betrayals, tears, Ronit, life." I hung my mouth open unable to believe, a girl almost my age had to face these things.

     Damn! Boys, Damn Ronit! I gritted. "My Dad didn't report or anything, he kept it all a secret as it would be harmful for his job. But, he did the things he could do. Ronit is now in imprisonment, gets beaten every second day." Alazne rolled her eyes.

     "But after all this, Neva's gone. 'Neva is' changed to 'Neva was'. My secret keeper became this beach," Alazne whined. "Neva..." Alazne whispered, tears in her eyes, she glanced at the horizon.

     I took her hand with my both hands, it was cold, I rubbed it.

     "It'll be okay." I assured and then felt dumb for saying it, that's something everyone says, I comprehended my thoughts in words.

     "I know, this is something everyone says 'It will be okay' and right now it will seem impossible to you, nothing will be okay for a few months, maybe a year. But you can't be a cry baby, you can't bring the dead back, you will have to accept it at some time. The earlier you accept it, the better for you. Eventually, you will. Time heals the deepest wounds. It 'will' be okay."